CICC Warns Public of Sophisticated 'EGOV PH' Spoofing Modus; Victim Loses Over P100K

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is issuing an urgent warning to the public regarding a sophisticated spoofing scheme targeting users of the eGov PH mobile application. The alert follows a viral report of a “calling modus” that resulted in a victim losing more than P100,000 in savings.

In the reported incident, a fraudster posing as a government employee contacted the victim under the guise of verifying National ID records. The perpetrator instructed the victim to perform “Face ID” and biometric logging within a fraudulent interface. This allowed the attackers to bypass security layers, harvest sensitive information, and ultimately drain the victim’s bank accounts.

Understanding the Modus Operandi Spoofing occurs when a scammer disguises their caller ID or email address to appear as a trusted government agency or official. In this case, the attackers leveraged the credibility of the eGov PH platform to lower the victim’s guard.

CICC Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso emphasized that legitimate government agencies will never ask for sensitive credentials—such as OTPs, biometric data, or passwords—over a phone call or through unverified links.

Safety Recommendations for the Public 
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To prevent becoming the next victim of this scheme, the CICC advises the public to:
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• Refrain from Engaging: Do not answer calls or reply to messages from unknown numbers, even if they claim to be from a government office.
• Verify the Source: Only transact through official government apps downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Ensure you are using the legitimate eGov PH app developed by the DICT.
• Protect Biometrics: Never perform “Face ID” or fingerprint scans upon the instruction of a caller. These are private authentication tools that should only be used by the account owner on trusted devices.
• Double-Check Credentials: If a caller claims to be a government worker, hang up and call the official hotline of the agency they represent to verify the claim.

“The digital space offers convenience, but it also requires a higher level of vigilance,” the CICC stated. 

Report Cybercrime 

Victims of similar scams are encouraged to report incidents immediately to the Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) by calling the hotline 1326.